Brazil, Indigenous Peoples, and the International Law of Discovery

by Micheline D’Angelis JD ’09

Micheline D’Angelis JD ’09 is the coauthor of “Brazil, Indigenous Peoples, and the International Law of Discovery,” which traces how Portugal, from the 15th century to the Brazilian independence in 1822, colonized Brazil by using the International Law Doctrine of Discovery. This article demonstrates each of the 10 elements of the Doctrine of Discovery and how they were used by Portugal to subjugate the Indigenous populations of what would come to be known as the territory of Brazil.

  • Publisher: Brooklyn Journal of International Law
  • Date of publication: 2011
  • Format: 64 pages
  • URL: